Rebuilding Republicanism.
A trusted, credible & effective Movement.
What became known as Lasair Dhearg had its beginnings in late 2017, evolving from a small group of community and political activists in Belfast, Occupied Ireland. Those gathered spent a significant amount of time laying the political and ideological foundations of the organisation, before opening up for the recruitment of new members as 2020 beckoned. We now have a presence in the cities of Belfast, Dublin, Derry and Galway, as well as Counties Antrim, Armagh, Cork, Donegal, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Meath, and Tyrone.
We deliberately launched with no fanfare or grand announcements, preferring instead to build upon a foundation of activism, and no false promises. We wanted to ensure that those joining our new Movement would align well with our political outlook and our strategic direction. Less time could then be spent on debating the path to achieving the Socialist Republic, and focus instead on action; ensuring that Lasair Dhearg would remain an organisation of activists.
Our view on the current state of play is an honest one – Irish Republicanism is in a state of complete disarray. A once Revolutionary Movement, on its journey to state power, has discarded all Revolutionary potential, alongside the wholesale abandonment of significant anti-imperialist positions and policies. There is now no qualitative difference between the mainstream Irish political parties.
That journey into the cul-de-sac of Nationalism has left the remnants of Irish Republicanism completely disorganised across the island. Several things are missing. A trusted, credible and effective Movement; a roadmap to the Socialist Republic; and a blueprint for the Reconquest of Ireland. There are many organisations, old and new, attempting to apply various strategies to bring about some sort of change. None however, are currently in any effective position to bring about the type of radical change that is needed across Ireland. That includes our own Movement, Lasair Dhearg.
Accepting this fact, a question then arises: what is to be done?
What is to be done?
A roadmap to the Socialist Republic.
Before the application of any strategy aimed at the removal of the British presence in Ireland, alongside the creation of an Irish Socialist Republic, a Movement must exist that can see that process through to completion. Hope is not enough. Revolutionary Potential must become a reality. Lasair Dhearg exists because we want to create that reality.
This is a potentially multi-generational project that intends to take whatever time is necessary to ensure the reinvigoration of Irish revolutionary politics, anti-Imperialism and Irish Socialist Republicanism – the complete re-building of Republicanism from its foundational levels.
Our Movement consists of experienced activists from across many periods of struggle, including political ex-prisoners, those with many decades of activism, and most of our activists and organisers are revolutionary youth, from 18 to 30 years of age, creating great future potential.
The contradictions in Capitalism will ensure its inevitable demise. As Imperialism continues to run rampant across Ireland, we must ensure that this generation or those that come behind us have the necessary skills and self-confidence to make the inevitable decisions for the future of our struggle as part of that new Movement.
Such a Movement must be well positioned, resourced and supported, so that whatever the conditions of the time, it can bring about real, radical, revolutionary change.
This is the first step on the road to the Socialist Republic and the eventual Reconquest of Ireland.